I have been a Boinc/Seti user since 1999 and I just upgraded to to the new version of Boinc (5.10.30) and have found out, (not here but at Seti's message board), that my screensaver will not work if it is password protected. What I would get is a bouncing Boinc logo with the status underneath it. If I turn the password protections off it would show the graphics. I read that this was done by Boinc for Vista. I don't have Vista, I have XP.

Two Questions:

1). Is there any plans to change/fix this version of Boinc so we can see the screesaver with the password protection on, like in past versions?

2). How do I downgrade to the version before this so I can see the screensaver with the password protection on? Is the older version on the website somewhere?

If you install as a service and use the workaround. Graphics may work with a password protected screensaver and XP. There is currently not an even partially reliable means of getting the screensaver to work with vista.

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BOINC WIKI

BOINCing since 2002/12/8

I was using Version 5.8.16 and upgraded to Version 5.10.30. When the screensaver came on all I got was the Boinc logo with the running work unit %. I went looking on the message boards and found on the Seti site that when people turned their PW protection off their graphics would start working again. I turned off the PW protection and behold the graphics started to display. I had no problems with the password protection with 5.8.16

This is my computer. I run XP Pro with Admin privlages. This is not isolated to my machine check out http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=44172 This is where I found out the PW protected problem. I really would like to have the graphics work WITH the password protection. I want to keep my computer from prying eyes.

As said, if you install BOINC as a service and use the work around to have graphics/screen saver work under the service install, you can use the password protection. I've just tested it with my BOINC on Windows 2000. Works like a charm.

You can only install BOINC as a service by uninstalling your present BOINC, then reinstalling it and using the 3rd option in the installer. The service install does need an administrator account with password, but since you want this option to work, I guess you have one. :-)

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I uninstalled my Boinc, reinstalled as a service, and used the workaround. Still will not work with the password protection on. Works great with it turned off. It is just not working.

Is there a downgrade available? The new version just doesn't work.

5.8.16 is available from the Download page / All Versions. (which is on the line of options below the blue Download rectangle.)

If you install as a service and use the workaround. Graphics may work with a password protected screensaver and XP. There is currently not an even partially reliable means of getting the screensaver to work with vista.

Note that workaround is an inherent security hole. BOINC would run under an account with even more privileges than Administrator!

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I installed the 5.6.16 version and am running it as a service. I used the workaround and it shows the graphics with the password protection on. Finally!

I posted the wrong version. The version I installed was 5.8.16. That was the only one that would show the graphics/screensaver while password protected.